The Portal has experienced a large amount of malfunctions. From IT to Incomplete checklist errors by MCP staff. Our office have had over 20 incomplete errors corrected by MCP staff, and I want to thank the Cannabis Director for reversing those incompletes. Currently, no-one in the public knows when the Portal will reopen to address the incompletes for documents not originally specified/requested in the Portal and no notification to the public the unspecified/not requested documents were required to be uploaded to the Portal. The Portal purpose was for "resubmission" of the original application that MCP never seemed to be able to process. The Portal has morphed into something other than that with newly required documents and errors made by MCP staff and errors made by participants and their consultants. Most recently, at least two applicants never received their checklists after MCP completion of Portal reviews.
In addition, more of our clients "In Good Standing" are very concerned with the lack of processing of their Appendix G/SSHR and their annual renewals coming up at the county, state, or both levels of licensure.
The majority of MCP Participates in good standing have no idea who their Planner assigned is or their status of the SSHQ/Appendix G. Please see the following:
1. AG_ 2019-0462 submitted Appendix G/SSHR and Air Quality 2/4/21 - processing has not been completed in one year.
2. AG_2017-0493 submitted Appendix G/SSHR and Air Quality 1/28/21 - processing has not been completed in over a year
3. AG_2017-0128 submitted Appendix G/SSHR and Air Quality 8/9/21 - processing has not been completed in six months.
4. AG_2017-0046 submitted Appendix G/SSHR and Air Quality 8/24/21 - processing has not been completed in six months
These are not the only four participants "in good standing" awaiting MCP processing.
Time is of the essence as participants will be losing their state provisional licenses (some who have had them for several years now) if MCP does not process these long standing submittals and Portal opening with issuance of a letter of approval. That letter of Appendix G/SSHR approval and Portal Complete must be submitted to the state and must be provided in a timely manner in order to process their state provisional renewal/issuance. Without that letter from MCP, existing state Provisional licenses can not be renewed and new provisional state licenses can not be issued.
I believe new hires are on probation for at least 6 months, if not a year. The MCP Director was hired in October 2021, and has held that position for 4 months, and was hired as Program Manager in March 2021.
Clear and transparent communication is essential for the success of any Department Head and the success of the Cannabis Program. There is no clear or transparent communication to date around which Planner is assigned to which MCP participant; what the status is of participants "In good Standing" who must have an Appendix G/SSHR review and acceptance letter for provisional state licensure; and when the Portal will open so applicants with a clear understanding of what documents must be uploaded so they can gain a Portal complete letter for state provisional licensure. IE: incomplete checklists ask for 2020 WaterBoard Monitoring Report and the 2021 reports are now due effective 1/1/22. Will 2021 reports along with 2020 reports also need to be uploaded to the Portal? Will there actually be a place to upload them or do they need to be uploaded with the NOA at the same time because a whole new review is being conducted - a time consuming and mostly unnecessary activity?
I am grateful to have some movement in the cannabis program. The Cannabis Director has been responsive in a timely fashion, but the responses lack clarity and transparency. If BOS direction/requirements will be provided in this Public Employee Performance Evaluation, please provide direction/requirements that clear and transparent communication at all time from all MCP staff is necessary for the success of MCP and it's participants. If BOS direction/requirements will be provided in this review, please provide direction/requirements that a Portal reopening date must be published ASAP and that date should be as soon as possible. If BOS direction/requirements will be provided in this review, please provide direction/requirements that Portal applications must be processed for completeness only, nothing more, as quickly as possible and a letter sent out to participants as quickly as possible so State Provisional licenses can be renewed/obtained. If BOS direction/requirements will be provided in this review, please provide direction/requirements that processing of Appendix G/SSHQ and issuance of letters must be a priority along side the Portal process so state provisional licenses can be renewed/obtained.
I look forward to a future Cannabis Program where the Director and staff are clear and transparent, and applicants are valued and celebrated for their economic and agricultural contributions to the community at large.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment.
The Portal has experienced a large amount of malfunctions. From IT to Incomplete checklist errors by MCP staff. Our office have had over 20 incomplete errors corrected by MCP staff, and I want to thank the Cannabis Director for reversing those incompletes. Currently, no-one in the public knows when the Portal will reopen to address the incompletes for documents not originally specified/requested in the Portal and no notification to the public the unspecified/not requested documents were required to be uploaded to the Portal. The Portal purpose was for "resubmission" of the original application that MCP never seemed to be able to process. The Portal has morphed into something other than that with newly required documents and errors made by MCP staff and errors made by participants and their consultants. Most recently, at least two applicants never received their checklists after MCP completion of Portal reviews.
In addition, more of our clients "In Good Standing" are very concerned with the lack of processing of their Appendix G/SSHR and their annual renewals coming up at the county, state, or both levels of licensure.
The majority of MCP Participates in good standing have no idea who their Planner assigned is or their status of the SSHQ/Appendix G. Please see the following:
1. AG_ 2019-0462 submitted Appendix G/SSHR and Air Quality 2/4/21 - processing has not been completed in one year.
2. AG_2017-0493 submitted Appendix G/SSHR and Air Quality 1/28/21 - processing has not been completed in over a year
3. AG_2017-0128 submitted Appendix G/SSHR and Air Quality 8/9/21 - processing has not been completed in six months.
4. AG_2017-0046 submitted Appendix G/SSHR and Air Quality 8/24/21 - processing has not been completed in six months
These are not the only four participants "in good standing" awaiting MCP processing.
Time is of the essence as participants will be losing their state provisional licenses (some who have had them for several years now) if MCP does not process these long standing submittals and Portal opening with issuance of a letter of approval. That letter of Appendix G/SSHR approval and Portal Complete must be submitted to the state and must be provided in a timely manner in order to process their state provisional renewal/issuance. Without that letter from MCP, existing state Provisional licenses can not be renewed and new provisional state licenses can not be issued.
I believe new hires are on probation for at least 6 months, if not a year. The MCP Director was hired in October 2021, and has held that position for 4 months, and was hired as Program Manager in March 2021.
Clear and transparent communication is essential for the success of any Department Head and the success of the Cannabis Program. There is no clear or transparent communication to date around which Planner is assigned to which MCP participant; what the status is of participants "In good Standing" who must have an Appendix G/SSHR review and acceptance letter for provisional state licensure; and when the Portal will open so applicants with a clear understanding of what documents must be uploaded so they can gain a Portal complete letter for state provisional licensure. IE: incomplete checklists ask for 2020 WaterBoard Monitoring Report and the 2021 reports are now due effective 1/1/22. Will 2021 reports along with 2020 reports also need to be uploaded to the Portal? Will there actually be a place to upload them or do they need to be uploaded with the NOA at the same time because a whole new review is being conducted - a time consuming and mostly unnecessary activity?
I am grateful to have some movement in the cannabis program. The Cannabis Director has been responsive in a timely fashion, but the responses lack clarity and transparency. If BOS direction/requirements will be provided in this Public Employee Performance Evaluation, please provide direction/requirements that clear and transparent communication at all time from all MCP staff is necessary for the success of MCP and it's participants. If BOS direction/requirements will be provided in this review, please provide direction/requirements that a Portal reopening date must be published ASAP and that date should be as soon as possible. If BOS direction/requirements will be provided in this review, please provide direction/requirements that Portal applications must be processed for completeness only, nothing more, as quickly as possible and a letter sent out to participants as quickly as possible so State Provisional licenses can be renewed/obtained. If BOS direction/requirements will be provided in this review, please provide direction/requirements that processing of Appendix G/SSHQ and issuance of letters must be a priority along side the Portal process so state provisional licenses can be renewed/obtained.
I look forward to a future Cannabis Program where the Director and staff are clear and transparent, and applicants are valued and celebrated for their economic and agricultural contributions to the community at large.